June 25th, 2009 
admin The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to consider the Waxman-Markey energy/climate legislation – or the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 – on Friday, June 26. Among the legislation’s many measures that would raise energy costs are a massive emissions cap-and-trade regulatory scheme, and renewable mandates on electricity generation.
The oil and gas industry correctly warns Congress about the ill effects of Waxman-Markey.
June 25th, 2009 admin President Obama announced that he also wants to tackle immigration reform this year –certainly a hot button issue. It’s hard to imagine how he will get the thorny issue of immigration done given all the other items he’s put on the legislative front burner. None-the-less, immigration reform is an important issue, especially for small firms that require guest workers from other countries in order to meet specialized and seasonal business needs.
June 25th, 2009 admin 
Raymund Flandez of the Wall Street Journal continues to keep us informed on program changes in SBA financing. The SBA 504 program has recently been changed to allow for refinancing. SBA 504 is a popular fixed asset financing program that is guaranteed and requires a smaller cash injecture from the borrower than normal. Contact the UNF SBDC for program details.
Here is a free self paced training program called Finance Primer:Guide to SBA Loan Guaranty Programs
SBA Tweaks Rules of 504 Program
In its latest effort to help cash-strapped entrepreneurs, the Small Business Administration on Wednesday permanently changed a key loan program so that businesses can refinance if they plan to expand or buy equipment.
Previously, business owners could only take advantage of the SBA’s 504 program when they sought new loans to buy real estate, upgrade machinery and make improvements.
June 24th, 2009 admin 
Mark Deo writes in this Reuters piece (with a nod to Entrepreneur.com) about the hesitancy of banks to play in the SBA’s ARC loan arena.
June 24th, 2009 admin  |
ARC LENDERS
Wachovia
Wells Fargo & Co.
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
PNC Financial Services Group Inc.
Regions Bank
Suntrust
BB&T
Courtesy: University of North Florida SBDC
Known Participating Banks in the SBA ARC Loan Program
University of North Florida (SBDC) released a list of 8 lenders making SBA ARC loans. Some big lenders including Bank of America Corp., KeyCorp’s Key Bank unit and Toronto-Dominion Bank, or TD Bank Financial Group, are still on the fence about participating, citing concerns about heavy paperwork and strict rules on applicant eligibility.
June 24th, 2009 admin DNAVertical is an affordable lead generation program for small business. You provide them a with calling list based on your target customer criteria, you provide them with the elevator pitch and they provide you with approximately 50 outbound sales calls per day.
As they call, their goal is to set appointments and provide warm leads for follow up by your team. When an appointment is made or a warm lead is generated they will send you the contact information, and a recording of the actual original call so you can prepare for the follow up.
June 24th, 2009 admin Maine is a very nice place to summer. It also just got a bit more reasonable for entrepreneurs, small businesses and their employees year round.
As the Wall Street Journal editorial page just noted:
This month the Democratic legislature and Governor John Baldacci broke with Obamanomics and enacted a sweeping tax reform that is almost, but not quite, a flat tax. The new law junks the state’s graduated income tax structure with a top rate of 8.5% and replaces it with a simple 6.5% flat rate tax on almost everyone.
June 23rd, 2009 admin It’s frustrating as an economist when polls and politics show support for misguided economic ideas and policies. That is, like the notion that the government extracting huge amounts of resources from the private sector – whether through taxing or borrowing – and spending those dollars according to political preferences will be good for the economy.
But earlier this year, the polls showed strong support for such silly ideas.
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